Outside the barrier, Mu Anxiao withdrew her gaze from Feng Qishi. Casually, she looked at the furtive backs of Hei Qi and Ouyang Ye and called out, "What are you two up to again?" As she spoke, she tapped the barrier twice more.
Hearing her, Ouyang Ye shot Hei Qi a look, then turned back to Mu Anxiao and replied, "We're not planning anything."
"You say that, but you..."
"We're not planning anything, don't talk nonsense. My master isn't the kind of person who... plans things behind people's backs." Hei Qi appeared agitated as he defended himself.
"Your master isn't a person," Mu Anxiao said, glaring at Hei Qi. She turned back to Ouyang Ye. "If anything happens to Feng Qishi, I'm not done with you." With that, she clenched her fists and hammered the barrier several times.
Ouyang Ye listened to the 'dong dong dong' of the pounding from the other side and sighed helplessly. "I keep my word. If you keep hitting it, I won't save him." He was utterly exasperated with Mu Anxiao.
"Hurry up," Mu Anxiao roared, lowering her hands.
"I know." Ouyang Ye, impatient, looked at Hei Qi, who was unwilling to draw out the poisonous gas, and said coldly, "You go."
"I..."
"I don't trust him," Mu Anxiao interrupted Hei Qi, intending to leave everything to Ouyang Ye.
Conversely, Hei Qi thought Mu Anxiao was speaking up for him and went along with her words, admitting, "Yes, I don't trust myself either."
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao felt even more convinced of her own reasoning.
Ouyang Ye, however, shifted his gaze to Mu Anxiao's face at that moment. "You don't trust me either, do you?" He had decided to let Hei Qi handle the matter of saving Feng Qishi precisely because Mu Anxiao didn't trust him.
Therefore, Mu Anxiao's reply struck him as bizarre and gave him a false sense of… being trusted.
"I don't trust you, but," Mu Anxiao said without mincing words, deliberately glancing at Hei Qi. "Compared to him, I still trust you more."
"You..."
"Don't misunderstand, I just have more faith in your abilities."
"What do you mean?"
"He could just stand by and watch the poisonous gas slip away, so naturally, he wouldn't be able to recapture it. As his master, you are certainly far more capable than he is. Most importantly," Mu Anxiao said calmly, "you are their master, so the poisonous gas will definitely listen to you. Also, this is a matter between the three of us, and I don't want to involve him." She glanced at Hei Qi.
Hei Qi breathed a sigh of relief.
Ouyang Ye's lips curved. "As expected, you're quite cunning."
"Not compared to you," Mu Anxiao replied, pointing at Feng Qishi. "You can start. As long as you save him, I..."
"Will leave here with me," Ouyang Ye interrupted Mu Anxiao, seizing the opportunity.
Mu Anxiao's expression froze slightly upon hearing this. "You had this planned all along, didn't you?"
"Since you know, answer me, can you agree?" Ouyang Ye asked indifferently.
Mu Anxiao knew that if she refused this time, Ouyang Ye would surely escalate the situation again. In any case, as long as she didn't keep her word, Feng Qishi's safety would remain under threat. And she, from beginning to end, had been silently repaying everything she owed 'Shen Yan.' Although she had only repaid half, she didn't want to see Feng Qishi suffer because of her at Ouyang Ye's hands anymore.
Helpless, she had no choice but to compromise. "Yes."
Hearing Mu Anxiao's words, Feng Qishi's eyes widened immediately. "Mu Anxiao, you're crazy." He shouted with all his might.
Hearing Feng Qishi's heart-wrenching plea, Mu Anxiao's heart skipped a beat, but for Feng Qishi's future, she had to harden her heart and ignore him.
Seeing Mu Anxiao seemingly disregard Feng Qishi, Ouyang Ye couldn't help but smile. "Alright, then..."
"Since I've agreed to go with you, can you end Gu Yan's engagement with him?" Mu Anxiao wanted Feng Qishi to remain pure for his entire life, so she intended to mention this final condition to Ouyang Ye.
"You're trying to negotiate with me," Ouyang Ye said with a smile.
Mu Anxiao's gaze flickered as she replied, "I have only this one condition, and I hope you will grant it."
"I can grant it, but you must promise me..." Ouyang Ye said, glancing at Feng Qishi. "From now on, you will have no contact with him." He then turned back and fixed his gaze on Mu Anxiao's face.
Mu Anxiao hadn't expected Ouyang Ye to be so audacious. Looking at him, she hesitated.
"What, you don't want to do that?" Ouyang Ye said, deliberately provoking Mu Anxiao.
Seeing Ouyang Ye's triumphant expression, Mu Anxiao's lips curved slightly upwards. "Who said that? I'm just thinking."
"Thinking about what?"
"Thinking about whether you can really save him, and whether you're lying to me."
"You don't trust me, yet you still want my help. That's truly you," Ouyang Ye said, his face darkening. He detested Mu Anxiao's attitude towards him.
Mu Anxiao maintained her slight smile. "So, when you succeed, you can talk to me about conditions." She understood Ouyang Ye's competitive spirit and spoke intentionally.
Ouyang Ye sneered. "Mu Anxiao, just you wait and see." With that, he turned and walked in front of Feng Qishi.
Unable to move, Feng Qishi could only tilt his head back and look at him, conveying his resistance with his eyes.
Conversely, Ouyang Ye paid Feng Qishi no mind, saying coldly, "I won't let you die." As he spoke, he reached out and placed his hand on Feng Qishi's shoulder.
Feng Qishi's eyes widened in pain.
Seeing this, Hei Qi shivered and turned towards Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao's eyes darkened as she saw the expression of pain on Feng Qishi's face. Just as she was about to call out, Hei Qi arrived before her. Seeing him, she had no choice but to swallow her words and fix her gaze on Hei Qi.
Hei Qi gave Mu Anxiao a couple of silly smiles.
Mu Anxiao glanced sideways at Hei Qi, shifted a step to the side, and then... just as she was about to stop Ouyang Ye, Hei Qi said, "If Master gets distracted, he'll really be done for."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao swallowed her unspoken words and quickly looked back at Hei Qi, frowning. "Are you helping me?" she whispered.
Hei Qi's gaze flickered as he replied, "I'm thinking of my master." He then turned his back.
In Mu Anxiao's eyes, Hei Qi had always been a coward. Although he had ended their conversation in this manner, she knew he was helping her. Thinking of this, she softly said, "Thank you."
Hei Qi, startled, took a step forward.